1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an order system for semiconductor devices, and particularly to a system for selecting a manufacturer of a photomask, which is a master of wafers for semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, manufacturers of IC (Integrated Circuit) chips manufacture various kinds of IC chips in accordance with requests by customers. In these IC chips, interconnection patterns change when the customer changes the requested specifications. In a manufacturing step of the IC chip, the interconnection pattern is to be formed. As a master, the above processing uses a photomask, in which a light shield pattern formed of a thin metal film is arranged on a substrate. This photomask is ordered to a photomask manufacturer from the IC chip manufacturer, and is manufactured by the photomask manufacturer.
Information relating to the specifications of the photomask is sent from the orderer, i.e., IC chip manufacturer to the receiver of the order, i.e., a photomask manufacturer in the form of data stored in a magnetic tape or via an online system. The photomask manufacturer produces manufacturing data for the photomask based on the information relating to the received specifications. In addition to this, order information relating to a quantity of photomasks, a requested-date of delivery and others is sent from the IC chip manufacturer to the photomask manufacturer via a telephone or online.
Based on the order information, the photomask manufacturer prepares information (manufacturing priority, product number, quantity, delivery destination, delivery date and others) as well as management data including information required for quality management. The prepared management data is sent to the photomask production line. The photomask production line produces the photomasks based on the manufacturing data and management data. The photomasks are produced by an electron beam exposing device, which is controlled in accordance with the manufacturing data.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-180980 has disclosed the foregoing type of manufacturing system for the IC chips. In this IC chip manufacturing system, an interconnection pattern is changed in accordance with specifications required by a customer. The system includes an input terminal, a processing unit and a production line. The input terminal is used by customers purchasing the IC chips. The input terminal includes an input circuit for entering the information such as specifications and quantity of IC chips requested by the customer. The processing unit includes a preparing circuit, which operates based on the information entered through the input terminal to prepare data required for an exposing step and data required for production management and quality management of the IC chip, and also includes a transmission circuit for transmitting the data prepared by the preparing circuit to the production line. The production line produces the IC chips in accordance with the data transmitted from the processing unit.
According to this system, the information relating to the specifications, quantity and others of the IC chips is input only through the input terminal, which is used only by the customers. Therefore, the information processing can be performed more quickly and easily than in the case where the information relating to the specifications, quantity and others of the IC chips is sent by various manners using magnetic tapes, telephone and others. As a result, the priorities of the customer""s orders can be managed easily.
Although the above publication has disclosed the transmission of the data, which is prepared by the preparing circuit, to a photomask manufacturer in accordance with the priority, it has not disclosed details of the priority. An IC chip manufacturer orders a photomask to a mask manufacturer, which is determined based on many factors. In the process of producing IC chips, the delivery date and quality of the photomask significantly affect the delivery date and quality of the IC chips. Therefore, it is not easy to select a specific one from many manufacturers of the photomask, which significantly affects the delivery date and quality of the IC chips. Based on human""s determination, appropriate selection of the photomask manufacturer may be difficult.
An object of the invention is to provide a selecting device for appropriately selecting a photomask manufacturer for production of a photomask as well as a method for the same.
Another object of the invention is to provide a selecting device for appropriately selecting a photomask manufacturer for production of a photomask based on information sent from the photomask manufacturer as well as a method for the same.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a selecting device for appropriately selecting a photomask manufacturer capable of delivering before a due date as well as a method for the same.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a selecting device for appropriately selecting a photomask manufacturer, which can achieve a high quality of the photomask, as well as a method for the same.
Further another object of the invention is to provide a selecting device for appropriately selecting a photomask manufacturer based on a plurality of factors as well as a method for the same.
A selecting device according to the invention is a device for selecting a manufacturer of a photomask. The selecting device includes a communication circuit that communicates with a computer of a manufacturer of the photomask, a storage circuit that stores data, and a control circuit connected to the communication circuit and the storage circuit for controls the communication circuit and the storage circuit. The control circuit includes a circuit that sends specification data including specifications of the photomask and a requested delivery date to the computer, a circuit that receives estimation data and stores the same in the storage circuit, a circuit that stores delivery data representing results of delivery of the photomasks by the manufacturer in the storage circuit, a circuit that corrects the scheduled delivery date based on the scheduled delivery date and the results, and stores the scheduled and corrected delivery date in the storage circuit, and a select circuit that selects the manufacturer of the photomask based on the requested delivery date and the scheduled and corrected delivery date.
When the selecting device sends the specification data to the manufacturer""s computer, the manufacturer, which receives the specification data, prepares the estimation data including the scheduled delivery date of the photomask based on the specifications and the requested delivery date. The estimation data thus prepared is sent to the selecting device. The selecting device stores the results of delivery of the photomasks by the manufacturer, and calculates the corrected delivery date based on the delivery results and the scheduled delivery date. If a delay from a requested delivery date has occurred in the past, the corrected delivery date delayed by a predetermined amount from the scheduled delivery date is determined. The selecting device can select the manufacturer based on the corrected delivery date and the requested delivery date. Thereby, the photomask manufacturer can be selected based on the delivery date, which is the most important factor for selecting the photomask manufacturer.
More preferably, the select circuit includes a circuit that selects a plurality of manufacturers for manufacturing the photomask. The control circuit further includes a circuit that calculates a priority for the delivery date for each of the manufacturers based on the delivery data, and a circuit that selects the manufacturer of the photomask from the plurality of manufacturers selected by the select circuit based on the priority relating to the delivery date.
The selecting device calculates the priority relating to the delivery date for each of the manufacturers based on the delivery data, and can select, as the order receiver, the photomask manufacturer carrying the highest priority relating to the delivery date from the plurality of manufacturers selected by the select circuit. Thereby, the photomask manufacturer observing the requested delivery date is selected, and the photomasks can be delivered on or before the requested delivery date.
More preferably, the select circuit includes a circuit that selects a plurality of manufacturers for manufacturing the photomask. The control circuit further includes a circuit that receives technology data representing a technology of said manufacturer relating to manufacturing of the photomask from the computer, and stores the technology data in the storage circuit, a circuit that calculates a priority relating to the technology for each of the manufacturers based on the technology data, and a circuit that selects the manufacturer of the photomask from the plurality of manufacturers selected by the select circuit based on the priority relating to the technology.
The selecting device calculates the priority relating to the technology for each manufacturer based on the technology data, and can select, as the receiver of the order, the photomask manufacturer carrying the highest priority relating to the technology from the plurality of photomask manufacturers selected by the select circuit. Thereby, the photomask manufacturer having a high technology is selected, and the quality of the photomask can be increased.
More preferably, the select circuit includes a circuit that selects a plurality of manufacturers for the photomask. The control circuit further includes a circuit that calculates a priority relating to the delivery date for each of the manufacturers based on the delivery data, a circuit that receives technology data representing a technology of the manufacturer relating to production of the photomask from the computer, and stores the received technology data in the storage circuit, a circuit that calculates a priority relating to the technology for each of the manufacturers based on the technology data, and a circuit that selects the manufacturer of the photomask from the plurality of manufacturers selected by the select circuit based on the priorities relating to the delivery date and the technology.
The circuit that calculates the priority relating to the delivery date calculates the priority relating to the delivery date based on whether the results of delivery of photomasks contain a result of delay in delivery date or not. The circuit that calculates the priority relating to the technology calculates the priority relating to the technology based on the technology data representing the technology relating to the manufacturing of photomasks. The select circuit can select the manufacturer from the plurality of manufacturers based on the priorities relating to the delivery date and the technology calculated for each of the manufacturers. Thereby, the photomask manufacturer can be easily selected based on the plurality of factors.
A selecting method according to another aspect of the invention is a method of selecting a manufacturer of a photomask. The selecting method includes the steps of sending specification data including specifications of the photomask and a requested delivery date to a computer of the manufacturer; receiving and storing estimation data; preparing delivery data representing results of delivery of the photomask by the manufacturer; correcting the scheduled delivery data based on the scheduled delivery data and the result, and storing the corrected delivery data; and selecting the manufacturer of the photomask based on the requested delivery date and the corrected delivery date.
When the specification data is sent to the manufacturer""s computer, the manufacturer, that receives the specification data prepares the estimation data including the scheduled delivery date of the photomask based on the specifications and the requested delivery date, and sends the prepared estimation data. The selecting method stores the results of delivery of the photomasks by the manufacturer, and calculates the corrected delivery date based on the delivery results and the scheduled delivery date. If a delay from a requested delivery date has occurred in the past, the corrected delivery date delayed by a predetermined amount from the scheduled delivery date is determined. The selecting method can select the manufacturer based on the corrected delivery date and the requested delivery date. Thereby, the photomask manufacturer can be selected based on the delivery date, which is the most important factor for selecting the photomask manufacturer.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.